Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-24
An Unhappy Snowman.

A contributor TO the Cleveland Plain
Dealer, writing of book agent once
famous throughout Ohio. SAYS:
MIR. Beer delighted in astonishing
strangers, WHO were accustomed to stare
ut him OH account of his oddities in per-
sonal appearance, and prided himself
upon being physically different from
other men, and. being 4 natural actor,
would often assume most ungainly atti-
tudes in order 10 amuSe strangers
The writer recollects passing up SUI
perior street in his company on one oc-
casion when Barnum's circus was ex-
hibiting in Cleveland, and an old lady
evidently from the country, being at
tracted by Quincy's ungaInly appear
ance. stopped suddenly and remarked to
her companion: Husband, look here!
Barnum's What is It has cot loose and
that other fellow [mes ming mel is pa
rading him up and down the street"
That's so. replied the old man; when
Quincy, oyerhcaring the conversation,
put on one of his inimitable expressions
of countenance. assumed most awk-
ward gait, and looked more an orang-
outang than like human being, as the
old gentleman continued: AN I'd rather
see the What Is 1t than all the rest of
the circus, cause it's funuier and didn't
cost nothing" This remark SO pleased
Quincy that he said we must spend the
rest of the day at the circus, and there
we repsired, when the fun began.
Quincy planned that | must exhibit
him TO crowd at sdeshow as one of
Barnem's greatest curiosites great
"Whxt Is 1t" Wegave sideshowman
81 to Get us run his show for just fifteen
minutes, and the Snowman called the
spectators to order. when l Immediately
commenced to exhibit my curiosity
held up his hands and called attention
to taeir wonderful size and similarity
to a monkeys paws obliged him to
raise one foot about seven feet in the
air over the shoulders of an attentive
observer. and called attention to the
immensity of his feet. / had him take
of his hat and called special attention
to the two different colors of his hair l
gave the listeners to understand that he
was originally wild man, captured in
South America, and that he would then
speak to the people in five different
languages.
And such languages as Quincy spoke!
1t sounded like Chinese, Hottentot,
Scandinavian, Greek, and Low Dutch;
but it satisfied the audience. / then told
them that the What Is IT, would sing
them a song in his own vc.language
This staggered him for moment. for
he could not tell one note from another,
but he could initiate anything he ever
heard, and he sang such q song as NOR
tai never heard before; but it was in
teresting, ridiculous, and delighted the
hearers. Then, in conclusion, l an
nounced that the wild man would dance
Dutch jig, and thus show his polish
and gracefulness as the result of civil
lied life and training. The dance be-
gan. and the dancers legs roamed all
over the large platform Sometimes
the heels would be in close proximity
to the showman's head, and sometimes
might be seen touching the huge can
vas long way of, while the contor-
tons of the body were truly wonderful
to behold; but the crowd enjoyed the
performance, and men as we'll as wom-
en- laughed until they grew weak at the
comical attitudes assumed by the per-
former. who ut last. becoming weary
from his exertions, gave war-whoop
that started the crowd for the exits,
they imagining that the supposed wild
man had suddenly become dangerous
being.
then announced that my curiosity
was harmless, and that the perform
ance would be repeated at o'clock in
the afternoon, when hoped that all
would return and bring their friends.
The manager, who seemed as much de-
lighted as his audience. offered Mr..
Beer 5000 year to travel with. him
and perform. AS the fame of the morn
ing exhibition became noised about the
afternoon crowds were diverted even
from the main tent to the sideshow to
see the phenomenal wild man." The
Snowman, who had taken the money of
the people, was now in despair, for the
wild man" could not be found, though
an offer was made of $3.50 for Just one
act of that comical fellow" M he
called him. But Mr.. Beer was no long
er in that special line; and looking from
the seclusion of window across the
way he witnessed the success of his per-
Torrance as the disconsolate Snowman
appeascd the disappointed crowd by re-
funding their money.